ORIGIN AND ADVANTAGES OV SOILING. 59 



discoveries and improvements in the science of agricultrire, 

 must have probably orig^inated from the necessities of those 

 who occupied but small tracts of land, and who needed the 

 produce of more stock tlian could be sustained from common 

 pasture, as it is generally improved. This practice cannot 

 therefore be recommended t© that class of farmers, which per- 

 tiaps are the most numerous in this country, who possess con- 

 siderable tracts of land, which can hardly be rendered suitable 

 for any other purpose but pasturage ; or to that class, who, 

 without the greatest regard to the neat profits, would rather 

 indulge a disposition to consult their ease in their modes of 

 cultivation : but to that class whose farms are small, and who 

 are stimulated by the laudable ambition of improving a little 

 land highly cultivated, rather than a great farm badly manag- 

 ed ; and to that class also whose whole farms are capable of 

 bemg cither tilled or mown ; particularly, when their condition 

 IS such that they cannot easily procure manures. 



The advantages to be derived from soiling', have been re 

 commended by some very celebrated authors, and other emi 

 nent farmers of Great Britain. 



Dr. Thaer, physician to the Electoral court of Hanover in » 

 communication to the English Board of Agriculture, lays do^n 

 the following as facts which are incontrovertible, as the result 

 of the experience of the Baron de Bulan and others • "That i 

 spot of ground which, when pastured, will yield only'sufficient 

 hUhestablT abundantly maintain four Vjien kept 



"Soiling affords at least double the quantity of manure from 

 the same number of cattle ; for the best summer manrelpro 

 duced in the stable, and carried to the fields at the most proper 

 period of Its fermentation ; whereas when spread on the mea 

 wasted" ''''^^"'^^^ ^y ^^^ ^"* ^"^ «""' Its power is ent"Jefy 



"Cows which are accustomed to soiling, will yield much 

 more milk when kept in this manner: and fatting^caitir w'll 

 increase much faster in weight. ^ 



nJwf ^/r ^^M'^^i'^"^ ^^ accidents and diseases ; thev are 

 protected from the flies, whicrh torment them in the Lws 



ofTIm^" ""''"' '"' ''^^'^ -ot suffer from the heS 



. As it respects the quantity of land saved by soiling-, it must 



l.l1Zr.Z^!r\ ^tP""^ "" '^' natureof thesc^ andthe 

 condition of the land appropriated for that purpose. All the 

 writers on this subject, as ^ell as many other practical farm! 

 ers, appear to be well agreed in this one point, that a given 



